Family Educates
by rockhotch31
Summary: The team lectures in the class of my OFC Caitlyn Hotchner. This is another sequel to my "Family" series but this is very much a standalone piece. Very team oriented.


**A/N: Now that my OMC Matt Taylor running out of my brain has stopped, it's time to go home. And for those those of you that follow me, you know where that is.**

**My other OFC I've created and Hotch have a blended family that is very much involved with the team. This is an absolute standalone piece; just my OFC, Hotch and the team. OK, the boys may show up. ;) As you read, you should be able to get the context of my OFC even if you've never read any of my **_**Family **_**series. And my OFC loves and supports the BAU family.**

***Knightly bow of head* (To newcomers, a shout out to FF mentor).**

**All CM characters are the solely the rights of Mark Gordon Productions, CBS, and ABC Studios. And this FF will have scripted lines from **_**Profiling 101**_**. All rights to those lines belong to Virgil Williams.**

Family Educates

Aaron Hotchner led his team to the fourth floor Psychology office at Georgetown University to meet up with his wife, and Assistant Department Head, Dr. Caitlyn Barkley. The entire team was making a presentation to her senior students in her Criminal Psychology class.

Aaron entered in, with the regular secretary smiling as he came in the door. "Good to see you again Agent Hotchner."

"Hi Janice; good to see again and its Aaron to you," he smiled.

Janice nodded at Cait's open door. "She's expecting all of you; go on back."

Cait saw them coming and met them in the open area outside of her office. Aaron walked up to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She matched it, and then gently wiped her lip stick off his face. Dave smiled at what some would think was an uncharacteristic gesture by one Aaron Hotchner. He knew better.

Cait smiled at the rest of team. Reid looked at her. "Is that your office?" Cait nodded. "Mind if I take a look?"

"Go right ahead," she smiled.

"Be careful, kid," Dave smiled. "The last person that profiled that office got….." he gestured by putting his index finger into the corner of his mouth, like a fish getting hooked. That earned him the Hotchner glare. Cait laughed at them both. Morgan, Prentiss and JJ did the same. Penelope stuck her head in as well, and smiled at all the family pictures on top of Cait's filing cabinets.

Noticing the bags that Morgan was carrying, obviously Garcia's equipment, she led them to the lecture hall.

As the senior students of the class filtered into the room for Dr. Barkley's 11 am class, they knew something big was up. They, per Dr. Barkley's directive at the end of their last class, were advised to expect something special. As they all filtered into the lecture hall, they didn't expect six podiums and the three large screens of lecture hall pulled down. Dr. Barkley rarely used them; instead educating her class with lectures and challenging their every assumption of the psychology of the criminal mind.

They noticed a rather loudly dressed woman working with one of the Tech Staff of the university and then smiling at him. Two very professional dressed women were at the other end of the lecture floor. Another man, whom they all seen as someone that didn't really fit in with the rest that was gathered on the stage, smiled at the woman working with the tech man, as the FBI logo appeared on the screens.

Just then, a well-built Afro-American man walked out of from the lecture hall's back hallway and joined the tech woman and very honestly, the guy that looked like a bit of nerd. They all looked at each other as they took their seats. They knew Dr. Barkley's edict. "On time for class or pay the time catching up." When the class doors closed, you were not allowed in. Not one of her students messed with that. Her reputation through the psychology studies students preceded her. Dr. Caitlyn Barkley ran a tight ship.

Yet, they all noticed her giving a huge smile to the man with the goatee. His reputation preceded him as well. He was Senior Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi; a noted and renowned author on their own very studies; a fixture in lecturing to this very class; as well as one of the three founders of the Behavioral Analysis Unit for the FBI. They also knew that Dr. Barkley was his criminal psychologist for his last four books; recommended, yet not required reading in her class. The students, all a very bonded class by Dr. Barkley's manner of teaching, smiled at each other as they started to take their seats, pulling their cell phones out to check the time before their class started. Once it did, the social media connection to the outside world was over. Dr. Barkley, in the first days of the class, had thrown more than one student out the door for checking their cell, instead of paying attention. After two, they all got the message.

Yet, they noticed her smiling, and with her hand in the small of the back of a man they all noticed had FBI written all across him. The impeccable dark suit, white dress shirt with no button down collar; rather collar stays and the red tie gave him away.

Dr. Caitlyn Barkley looked at her husband of nearly three years, and then David Rossi; their best friend. "Dave, you sure this is the case you want all of them to hear? You could have picked another. I know what this asshole is doing to you."

Dave softly smiled at the woman he loved and respected. "Yup Cait; think of this as my catharsis. When I see him later today, I'll rub this under his nose." Cait and Aaron both arched an eyebrow. "Oh don't get me wrong. That bastard always sings 'Happy Birthday' to me. That irritates the shit out of me. And he'll love the attention, which I'll build up; until I blow him out of the water, telling him how a bunch a college seniors think he's an asshole and a parasite. I'll use all this and get under his skin. I doubt he'll sing to me this year." Dave smiled. Aaron smiled at Dave.

"And you've got birthday dinner waiting for you tonight when you get back." Cait stared into his eyes. "And don't even think of blowing it off. You can do that to the rest of team, but you can't to our youngest son." She burrowed a look into David Rossi's eye. "Can you tell me, looking me in the eye you will get away with that with Jack?" pointing a finger at him.

Dave shook his head as Cait looked at her watch. "I don't mess with the kid," he smiled. They both knew his love for Jack. Aaron patted Dave on the shoulder as Cait rubbed her husband's back, knowing the hell that Dave was about to relive and she moved to the center front of the lecture hall floor. The BAU team took their places.

As her watch hit eleven, two students quickly came in the door and found seats. Cait smiled at them, knowing they had a cross campus class before hers. She gave them a bit of latitude. Looking around the room, she knew her class was all there. She silently nodded at Jonas, sitting closest to the door to shut it.

"Good morning everyone." The team all smiled as the class replied with many "good morning Dr. Barkley" or "hey Dr. Barkley" with heartfelt smiles.

JJ whispered to Emily. "We've got to sit in on this class."

"As all of you know, once every semester I have an old friend lecture in this class. One of the three founders of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI, Agent David Rossi is also a renowned author of five best-selling books on the very subject we study. It has been my pleasure to be his criminal psychology analyst with his last four," she smiled. Dave smiled broadly as well, as did Aaron.

"Yet for this semester's lecture, all of you have the opportunity to have the entire BAU team to discuss a specific case. With their busy schedules, this is a very rare occurrence, and one I suggest all of you take full advantage of," she smiled. "Please welcome them."

As the class politely applauded, Dave approached her and rubbed her shoulder as she applauded as well, her pride in the team showing. She moved off to her left to sit down next to a student in a wheelchair.

"Thank you Dr. Barkley," smiled at the students. "And when she says old friend, she means we've known each other for a long time." The class laughed. "And it has been an honor and pleasure to work with Dr. Barkley on my books."

"I'm Senior Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi." He looked to farthest left podium; "this is SSAs Jareau, Prentiss, Unit Chief Hotchner, SSA Morgan, Dr. Spencer Reid, and on keyboards, our Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia." The class laughed at his rock concert intro of the brightly dressed woman.

Garcia smiled at all the students, waved and said, "Hi." Cait noticed her students smiling back, obviously already recognizing Penelope's energetic personality.

Dave and the team dove into the lecture. Cait noticed Dave leaving to take a phone call, coming back out and getting Aaron as the rest of team continued flawlessly without them. Dave came back a few minutes later, with Cait burrowing a look into his eye. He shook his head at her, as if saying _nothing you need to worry about_. Aaron returned a couple minutes later as they both reentered the discussion.

At one point, the student sitting next to Cait asked a question. Dave burrowed a look in his eye. "What is your name?"

"David Zimmerman."

Dave looked at Cait. "Can you put a leash on him," Dave asked.

Cait smiled at the student and then Dave. "Believe me, I've tried; doesn't work." The class, knowing Zimmerman's reputation, laughed.

Dave smiled at Cait. "Let me; Zimmerman," he said with an index finger waggle to his face, "don't interrupt." The class roared as Zimmerman smiled. Cait smiled at the student which he returned. The team continued on.

The BAU jet impressed all the students; yet Cait noticed how it also got across to them the importance of what the team did. The FBI ponied up that ride to get the team to cases that quickly. As Cait watched her students, she saw that fact hammer home in their heads. They were deeply impressed with group in front of them; more importantly, the job they did. The students got heads down into the case with team.

As the team finished, Zimmerman raised his hand, looking directly at Dave. "So every year, you've got go visit this idiot to get another name?"

"As I said at the start Zimmerman, the thing we all strive for," Dave said, waving his index finger at the team. "Closure; for the victims and their families. They deserve that. And why I visit Thomas Yates every year." Zimmerman looked at Cait, who nodded her head to him. She looked at her watch and rose from the desk.

"We've still got twenty minutes of class time left and you know me; you don't get out early in my world." The class all smiled. "Which means, you all get to sit through the, albeit shortened, FBI recruitment lecture."

The team, aware through Hotch that Cait might give them this opportunity, rolled into their presentation.

A student raised his hand, looking at Garcia, now knowing she was a fully credentialed Agent. "How did you join the Bureau?"

Garcia blushed a bit. "I was a hacker and got busted by the Bureau. They gave me options. And I didn't like the seven by nine one," she smiled. The class roared. "But please, all of you know that even what I have to deal with on a daily basis, I now couldn't think of doing anything else. I'm very proud to be a member of this team." Hotch and Cait smiled at her response, as did the rest of the team.

Zimmerman looked at Hotch. "SAC Hotchner,' he smiled. Aaron read him immediately. "The Bureau must pay really well, 'cause all of us have seen the rock that Dr. Barkley has on her finger. And you are her husband, correct?"

As Aaron started to smile to answer his question, Morgan beat him to the punch. "Don't you mean Dr. Barkley is the woman that had the courage to marry SAC Hotchner?" he beamed. Garcia giggled as the rest of team matched Morgan's smile. The class roared, recognizing the team leader was getting a needle job from one of his own. It just added to team dynamic the students had begun to recognize. Hotch glared at him for a second and then looked at Zimmerman.

"No Mr. Zimmerman. While all of us at Bureau make a very decent and comfortable salary, with health care benefits that are unmatched, I don't make that kind of money. The diamonds in my wife's engagement ring are compliments of an inheritance I received from my mother and a college roommate that is a jeweler." He smiled. "It's not what you know, but who you know."

Zimmerman piped up again. "You admit that in public in front of your wife."

Aaron smiled. "Yes, Mr. Zimmerman. Being honest with my wife keeps me married to her. And I like being married to her." He smiled at Cait as she smiled at her husband. The team did as well, David Rossi the brightest, as he explained further the health benefits received by Bureau employees. JJ added her thoughts, as a mother with a young son on the subject. The class silently nodded their approval.

Another student raised her hand and asked _the_ question. "How do all of you deal with what you do? And I'd appreciate hearing each one of you answers instead of group, down pat answer." Aaron looked at Cait, who shook her head at him. She obviously knew her students, and the ones that weren't afraid to question things.

JJ spoke up. "For me, I do this for my son; he's four; to make this world a better place so he doesn't have to face the monsters in this world. Having my life partner, the father of my son, and a Metro detective who understands what we do, doesn't hurt," she smiled.

Emily shook her head. "We all have the nightmares. It comes with job. You can't chase monsters for a living and not be affected. For me, I did this job with Interpol before I joined the BAU. I've got a four inch scar across my abdomen from my run in with my worst monster. But this team helped me get that man out of my life. Finally. That's how I sleep. With a personal monster gone, the rest don't seem so bad."

Aaron looked at the podium top and then the students. "The nightmares happen, no matter how well we are trained. I'm with Agent Jareau. When you wake up in the middle of the night, dripping sweat, and feel a warm, assuring hand rubbing across your shoulder from someone that understands," he smiled at Cait, "you deal with them a bit better."

Dave smiled. "As the seasoned one around this group," he smiled at the team, "for me," looking back at the class, "the nightmares can still wake me. What gets me back to sleep is all the 'wins' we've got through the years saving a child's life. That's precious."

"I'm in the same camp with Agent Rossi. That's gold," Derek smiled.

Reid looked at Cait. "How much time do we have?" Cait looked at her watch and gave him four fingers. "I could go into a long dissertation, but I won't."

"Thank you," Morgan smiled at him.

Reid blew him off. "I'm in the same boat with Agents Rossi and Morgan; saving a child's life makes this all worth it."

"Ditto," Garcia added.

Cait rose from the desk she was sitting in next to Zimmerman and walked to center of the lecture hall stage. "Please join me in a round of applause for our guest lectures today." The class rose out of their chairs and gave the group a standing ovation. Cait sent the class loose.

As they walked out of the building, Cait arm in arm with Aaron, the rest of the team looked at Rossi. "It's a two hour drive man," Morgan commented. "I'll get you there under an hour and a half," he smiled.

Dave shook his head. "Rossi, all of us could come and then we could have dinner together," Garcia pleaded.

Dave rubbed her chin. "I've got my birthday dinner waiting for me," he smiled, looking at Aaron and Cait. "And a not so little guy that won't let me skate." The team smiled. "Thanks Princess P." He walked off to the black Bureau SUV.

Garcia looked at Cait and Hotch. "Is he going to be OK?" They both nodded their heads.

"Of course he is," Prentiss said. "It's Rossi."

Epilogue

Mudgie was in the great room playing with Jack, as well as the Hotchner family dog Beans. He perked his ears. Hotch, just coming out of he and Cait's bedroom, changed into leisure clothes, noticed. He nodded at Cait in the kitchen as he went into the garage.

Dave was just walking in as Hotch reached into he and his wife's infamous garage beer fridge. He grabbed three, uncapping one and handing it to Dave. "How'd it go?" Hotch asked about his annual visit to Thomas Yates.

Dave smiled. "He won't be calling me on my birthday any more. As I told you all this morning, I blew his ass out of the water. He won't want to remember this anniversary," Dave triumphantly smiled.

Hotch held out his hand. "Happy birthday Dave; you got the present you truly deserve."

Rossi shook his head. "My real present is inside that door," he smiled as he pointed to the garage door into the kitchen. Hotch smiled at him and put arm around his shoulder.

As Dave walked started to walk in, he whiffed in the aromas through his nose of his favorite meal that Cait made. Slowly baked pork roast; he knew immediately what would accompany the meal. As the two men started to enter in the door, they heard the third door of the garage open. They waited for the car occupant. Mike, the latest teen driver in the Hotchner family, pulled the vehicle that Cait and Aaron had bought him into the stall, just getting down with soccer practice.

He pulled his back pack out of the passenger side front seat, along with his sports bag on the back seat floor and quickly joined the two men smiling at him. He gave his dad a huge loving hug, and then reached for Dave. "Happy Birthday Uncle Dave; glad you're here. It's about time you spent this with us. We're your family. I love you," Mike said with heartfelt words. Aaron rubbed the shoulder of his son.

Dave marveled at how quickly the second Hotchner son had grown up. The driver's license, along with the car, produced a very capable, responsible young man. Dave recipicated the hug. "Thanks Mike. I appreciate it." He pulled away and looked the young man in the eyes. "I'm glad I'm here too," he smiled. "And I love you too." The three entered into the kitchen, with Hotch uncapping the second beer and handing to his wife.

Jack, with the two dogs racing him, was like a missile at Dave, nearly knocking him over with his growing body as well. Dave pulled the youngest Hotchner son into his arms for the big hug he knew he would get. Jack didn't disappoint him. "Happy Birthday Uncle Dave," Jack said, his arms tightly wrapped around Dave's neck.

Dave kissed his hair. "Thanks Jackster; love you too." The unconditional love he got from this family melted his heart. And the kid was just special. After his hug, he handed Jack to Mike, who got his own hug from his brother, as Dave joined Aaron walking into the kitchen.

Cait opened her arms for her own hug of Dave. He pulled her in, getting a kiss on the cheek. "Happy Birthday Dave," she smiled as he pulled out. Aaron beamed. "You do know we love you?"

Dave kissed her cheek and simply replied, "Yes." The two dogs barked for his attention, with tails wagging. Dave smiled broadly and gave the love back, after letting Cait go. Aaron wrapped his long arm around his wife's waist as Mike and Jack joined them in the kitchen.

Aaron looked at Cait. "What can I do?"

She smiled at her husband. "Chase the boys into getting their hands washed while I mash the potatoes."

Mike looked at his dad. "I'll do it upstairs after I drop by back pack off in my room."

Aaron smiled his assent as Jack raced into the half bath off the kitchen. Dave, after petting the dogs, moved over to the kitchen sink, setting his beer on the counter and washed his own. He knew Cait; forever the small, hometown doc first, he understood her health standards. He couldn't argue with it. As he looked out the kitchen window, he smiled to himself. And he knew better than to try and argue with the amazing woman Hotch and he had in their lives.

He smiled to himself, still looking out the window, as Aaron started mashing the potatoes for Cait. _Thomas Yates take this_, he thought. _While you are in a cell; I'm with people that love me_. He smiled more broadly to himself, grabbed some paper towels to dry his hands, deposited them in the garage in the kitchen island and grabbed his beer.

Cait smiled at him as she started making the homemade pork gravy that Dave loved so well. "You OK?"

Dave smiled and kissed her cheek. "I am now."

As the family was about to sit down to the table in the nook, the door from the garage burst open, with Matt, sporting his own goatee, springing into the home.

Cait and Aaron looked at their oldest son as they set the last of meal on the table. Matt waved them off. "I know mom and dad. It's Thursday. But my one big class on Friday got cancelled and the other is a PE credit. I can skip it," he winked, a freshman at the University of Virginia in Richmond, an hour and a half away, with his own car as well. "Besides, it's Uncle Dave's birthday," he smiled. He pulled his mother into a hug. "And I know how you cook for Uncle Dave's birthday," he smiled at her. "I wouldn't miss this. Uncle Dave kept us all together, remember?" he whispered.

Cait shook her head at the bad memory of the time Haley and Jack spent in the custody of the US Marshall Service and the aftermath. She squeezed her oldest son tight, then letting him go. "Grab a plate, silverware and a chair. I didn't expect you." Dave was engulfed with a huge hug from the Hotchner's oldest son, as Hotch rubbed his shoulder. After Matt finished with Dave, his dad got the same treatment, along with his brothers.

The family, the six of them, sat down to Dave's favorite dinner. Pork roast with mashed potatoes and gravy, corn casserole, black cherry Jell-O with bananas in it and Cool Whip on the top (a shout out to his bud Jack), and Cait's blueberry muffins, albeit with the help of a Betty Crocker packaged box recipe.

Dave smiled broadly as Cait and Jack, with birthday candles glowing, set a cake down in front of him. The family all smiled at Cait's infamous chocolate cake, complete with homemade frosting. It wasn't just Reid's favorite. Mike walked behind them with the ice cream bucket in hand.

As he and the boys enjoyed the birthday cake, along with Hotch, he smiled to himself. _What are you eating tonight Tommy Yates? Sing your shit to me no_w.

Cait and Aaron, both reading his thoughts, just simply rubbed his shoulder.

###

**A/N: Cool Whip is a whipped topping much like whipped cream, but without the work. Betty Crocker is a grand name of a box muffin mix. In my opinion, the best around!**

**Shout out to the usual suspects: the gang at CM Rev, my Twitter friends, an educator and hxchick!**

**And to Thn0715. Thank you my mentor!**


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